Range Report - Ruger SRH 7 1/2" .454 Casull

[Valkman]

Got this gun yesterday from Wildalaska, and it just so happened I got the bullets I had ordered from Bear Creek also. I had everything else, so I made up some rounds to try out. I used 300gr moly-coated FP bullets from Bear Creek Supply , new Starline brass from The Brassman , Hodgdon H110 powder and CCI 400 primers. I used Hornaday New Dimension dies in my single stage press and made 6 rounds using 28.5gr of H110, 6 rounds using 28.8gr, 6 rounds using 29.0gr and 6 rounds using 29.3gr.

At the range this afternoon I loaded up the 6 rounds with 28.5gr and shot them with a two-hand hold and no glove. Yeow! I'd never fired anything bigger than .357 and this was different and much more massive recoil to say the least! The force of recoil shoved the trigger gaurd back into my second finger holding the grip and that hurt, besides my hand taking the normal recoil shock.

Then I put on an old leather fingerless motorcycle glove and shot the next 5 (one round failed to chamber)- big difference! No more pain! Now I was so confident I loaded up the next 6 and shot them one handed - no problem. The recoil took the gun up above my head and my right hand just took a little more pounding without the left hand supporting it. Finally I shot the last 5 (another round wouldn't chamber) and called it a day for that gun.

It was noisy, but I actually didn't notice it much because I had earplugs and muffs on. It's a very heavy gun, but I had no problem holding it up for 6 shots. The trigger is very good SA and DA and it will not need a action job, so that's a good thing.

Accuracy - I shot at 20 yards and was all over the place. I expected this, for one thing because I need to get used to the gun, but also when I got it the rear sight was adjusted all the way to the right. The previous owner must have had a real hard time shooting it! Before I shot it I centered the rear sight and it still needed some more movement to the left. I'll have to get a rest and use a table to really see what's going on. I mostly was trying out the gun and my reloads and seeing how I stood up to the recoil.

My right hand and arm hurt for a while after - probably half an hour or so. If someone took my hand and hit it with a hammer through a towel a few times that's what my hand felt like! But I shot 100 rounds of .45ACP and it went away.

I tell ya, I had fun and loved shooting this gun. Two rounds would not chamber so I have to see what went wrong there, but reloading these rounds was easy and you don't need to make that many.

I don't name my guns but if I did this one would be "Mister", because it deserves respect!

 

[tc300mag1]

Excellent Report Glad you enjoying it Makes me want the one sitting at the range all the more. Also i would look at changing to hogues either wood or rubber as for me i find in 44 mag with hot loads the grip isnt the best.. the ruger grip is good but not big enough for me

 

[MaterDei]

Nice report. Good thing you had the gloves handy.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

When shooting big fellas like that I always wear dedicated shooting gloves.

Cabelas has some very nice gloves under thier brand: fingerless, leather constuction, with extra leather on the 2nd finger knuckle, and just a touch of padding in the palm, yet there aren't too bulky at all.

When shooting 100 plus rounds of heavy loads they make all the difference.

 

[Valkman]

Before yesterday I always thought shooting gloves were a joke or for wussies - NOW I know why they're available!

I won't be shooting without them, with this gun anyway!

I also forgot to mention that this gun is ported, so with that and the reloads I didn't have the pleasure of experiencing full-house loads and non-ported recoil. Thank God!

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Valkman, you need to shoot some of the full power stuff in an unported 9.5" barrel at least once to really appreciate what that caliber really is.

 

[gbran]

Great accuracy

Once you dial it in, you'll find benchrest 25yd 1 1/2 to 2" groups the norm (assuming good ammo). I've scoped mine (2x) and can do 2" benchrest groups at 50 yds. You mentioned some failures. I load mild to wild and don't even run 45 LC's thru it anymore due to the shorter case. You relly need to scrub the powder ring left by the 45 before shooting the 454. This can cause dangerous pressure buildups. I've had mine for over a year and its a keeper.

 

[P95Carry]

Hey Don .. nice write-up! Glad you enjoyed .. even with a little bit of pain!! I doubt actually my unported 9 1/2 would be much more punishing than yours .. sure it is ''stout'' but I do find the grip technique quite important.

Hard to describe really but it's sorta firm but not ''locked tight'' .. it's a grip which permits good control but also allows recoil to exert itself easily ... and not put all the force into arm and wrist only.

Bench resting with sandbags should promote good groups at 50 when you have finished .... but keep gun contact limited to your weak hand ... and let that rest on sandbag.

Let us know re the 2 rounds that wouldn't chamber ... I'd expect one poss' reason is a ''sizing ring'' ... or were these unfired brass? I know my .357's when they get old from too many reloads get this prob ... the base just won't let them chamber all the way. Or did something follow too much crimp?

You will grow to love ''Mister'' if you don't already!!

 

[Valkman]

I haven't checked yet as to why those two rounds wouldn't chamber - I had checked some of the crimps and they seemed like a good heavy crimp but not enough to bulge the case. I also measured some of them and they were fine. I'll take the calipers to them before I take 'em apart and see if the crimp got too heavy.

 

[NoTsO cLeAn HaRoLd]

Yeow!

That says it all!

That's exactly what I said followed closely by "WoW"! People who haven't shot one have no idea. The first time I shot mine there were teenie-bopers laughing at me & making comments like "look at that a-hole! He doesn't know how to shoot." I told them what I was shooting & showed them a round & asked if they wanted to try it. They quickly left saying, "um, we really gotta go now."

Have Fun!

 

[Valkman]

I was just out at the reloading bench and I measured those 2 rounds - the crimp area is bigger on those for some reason. They were like .480 and the max allowed is .4775 I think. Don't know how that happened, but we'll do better next time (soon!).

I just had a couple of those rounds next to some .45 ACP - man they're big!

 

[P95Carry]

Don - just a real quickie .. gotta crash soon. I wonder - do you crimp as you seat?? If the force of crimp is excessive ... even marginally then a slight case swell can result ... perhaps what has happened with those rounds.

As you well know ... a fairly hefty crimp is important ..... otherwise bullet upset can occur. I think tho it'd be useful for these to use a factory crimp die ... it'll do the crimp well without so much risk of case upset. If you do use one then I'm surprised you had the prob .... load some more carefully and take it slow. Give feedback later eh.

 

[Valkman]

Yep, for the first time loading I seated and crimped in the same stage. I thought about seating them, then adjusting the die and just crimping them but was too lazy. I do need to get a Lee Crimp Die.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Valkman, in bottleneck cartriges the lee "factory crimp" die is wonderful.

In the world of straight walled magnum pistol though, the redding "profile crimp" die has absolutely no equal .

I was to turned onto them by our own WESHOOT2(he does high preformance handgun loads for a living) and I've never looked back.

On the reloading end of things: Do yourself a big favor, go get some starline brass if you intend on running top end(from 45000 up) loads. when you go up there, even winchester and federal brass don't last long.

This is the only pistol caliber that I own and load for that I agree book max is max. While I can push my 357 and 44 redhawks well past 35,000 safely, they still don't go anywhere near the 60,000 the 454 can run at.

 

[tc300mag1]

Ben Shepherd just wondering is the Redding proflie crimp die for the 454 the one for 45 LC since they dont list one at midway for a 454 and reddings website dont really say much..

Thx

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Just adjust the die depth for the longer case. That's all I did. Unless your press is something I've never seen that should work fine.

I use my 44mag on 44special brass all the time, no trouble. Same with 357 and 38.

 

[tc300mag1]

Thats what i figured btu never hurts to ask

 

[Valkman]

Thanks Ben for the advice. I highly respect WESHOOT2's knowledge and have talked to him before by email. I haven't ordered anything yet but I'll look for that Redding die.

My brass is new Starline - nice stuff!

 

[1shotonly]

.458 Win Mag

I have a single shot pistol chambered for .458 Winchester Mag. I know what you mean when you say it hurts your hand when you shot it the first time, It was about 3 months before I could shoot mine again. It's a waste, it's the only pistol I've ever shot that makes me flinch. I bought it for the macho trip, thinking it would make me feel tough and macho having the biggest most powerful handgun in the county, instead it makes me feel like a little girl. It’s for sale, by the way.

 

[cavemanforester]

I have the 9 1/2 SRH and it is good so far. I find that I shoot it about as well offhand as with a scope. Any pointers on technique?
Recoil with this gun is less than A Freedom arms in my opinion. I do get a bite on my middle finger, however. I scoped this gun and am having a little trouble getting used to it.
A friend of mine has a FA in454, and I have told him that you don't need to drive a Farrari at 200 mph all the time, but now that I own a 454, I have kept the pedal to the metal with pretty stout loads. I am a ways from max however (36 gr H110 over a 240 gr XTP magnum).
Does anyone have any input on how fast yone can safely push a 250 grain XTP (not XTP Mag)?